Building Alliances for Better Oral Health
MA Reimbursement for Topical Fluoride Varnish by Primary Care Practitioners
By Paul R . Westerberg , DDS Chief Dental Officer , Department of Public Welfare
As of April 1 , 2010 , Pennsylvania joined the vast majority of states whose Medicaid programs offer reimbursement to primary care physicians and other licensed medical professionals for the appropriate application of topical fluoride varnish to the teeth of young children . This achievement represents a significant milestone in a process that has taken years of collaborative effort involving individuals from a variety of concerned organizations that included the Pennsylvania Dental Association ( PDA ), Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare ’ s Office of Medical Assistance Programs ( OMAP ), the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics ( PAAAP ) and the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians ( PAFP ). Cooperative input from all parties involved has led to the availability of an effective tool for the prevention of dental caries for strategically-placed health professionals . It has also created potential for a new environment of interdisciplinary collaboration leading to overall health improvement for Pennsylvanians .
Why is this type of program necessary ? The etiology of dental caries is that of an infectious disease ; inoculation with pathogenic bacterial flora generally occurring during infancy from contact with caregivers . The most recent NHANES data available pegs the caries rate for children ages 2-5 at 28 percent , with nearly three quarters of those children having untreated decay . 1 Children whose socio-economic status is below the federal poverty level as a group have a significantly higher dental caries rate than children in more affluent circumstances . 2 Unfortunately , because there are multiple factors negatively influencing access to care for this population segment , many young children who are at significant risk for dental caries are not getting the age appropriate
32 September / October 2010 • Pennsylvania Dental Journal